The 2011 US Army Commemorative Coins are the first of two commemorative coin series to be released by the United States Mint in 2011. The strikes honor the United States Army and show a release date of January 31st of that year from the Mint.
2011 US Army Commemorative Coins (Proof)
Congress authorized three different strikes to be a part of the 2011 US Army Commemorative Coin series with the passage of the United States Army Commemorative Coin Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-450) – a $5 Gold Coin, a Silver Dollar and a Clad Half Dollar Coin, all struck to both proof and uncirculated condition. The purpose of the Act, according to the text of the legislation was:
"To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition and celebration of the establishment of the United States Army in 1775, to honor the American soldier of both today and yesterday, in wartime and in peace, and to commemorate the traditions, history, and heritage of the United States Army and its role in American society, from the Colonial period to today."
Accordingly, the Mint struck the three different denominations of the coins with three different themes. The $5 Gold Coin is struck with a "Service in War" theme, the Silver Dollar has a "Modern Service" theme and the Half Dollar has a "Service in Peace" theme.
Surcharges will be added to the sale of each 2011 US Army Commemorative Coin with proceeds being forwarded to the Army Historical Foundation to support the construction of the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
More information on each of the three 2011 US Army Commemorative Coins is offered below:
US Army $5 Gold Coin – The 2011 United States Army $5 Gold Coin is struck from 90% gold to a diameter of 0.85 inches. A maximum mintage of 100,000 coins is put in place on these strikes by the Mint.
2011 United States Army $5 Gold Coin (Proof and Uncirculated)
The coin features the "Service in War" theme by showing US Army soldiers from the revolutionary war to the present day on the obverse. Included in the design, from left to right are Continental, Civil War, modern, World War II and World War I soldiers.
The reverse includes the official US Army emblem indicative of the unbroken service the military branch has provided to the nation since its founding in 1775.
US Army Silver Dollar – The 2011 United States Army Silver Dollar is composed of 90% silver and 10% copper and features a diameter of 1.5 inches. The Mint will strike no more than 500,000 of these coins to both proof and uncirculated condition.
2011 United States Army Silver Dollar (Proof and Uncirculated)
"Modern Service" is depicted on the silver dollar. To accomplish this, the bust of a male and female soldier are shown back to back in modern gear. Behind the soldiers, a depiction of the globe is used to symbolize service around the world.
On the reverse, the Great Seal of the United States is used, as it has been on the dress and service uniforms of the Army since the early 1800’s. Surrounding the Seal are the seven core values of the Army – LOYALTY, DUTY, RESPECT,SELFLESS SERVICE, HONOR, INTEGRITY and PERSONAL COURAGE.
US Army Half Dollar Coin - The 2011 United States Army Half Dollar Coin is struck from a clad composition of copper and nickel to a diameter of 1.205 inches. A maximum mintage of 750,000 has been placed on these strikes from the Mint in both proof and uncirculated conditions.
2011 United States Army Half Dollar Coin (Proof and Uncirculated)
For this coin, the theme of "Service in Peace" is used with an obverse design depicting three different scenes of the Army serving in times of peace – a soldier surveying, two soldiers building a flood retention wall and a Redstone Army rocket which was used during the early days of space exploration.
The reverse shows an enlisted Continental Army Soldier along with the inscription of FIRST IN SERVICE TO THE NATION.
